Family Secret Pizza Dough Recipes

Steps:

• Prepare mashed potatoes by boiling peeled/quartered potatoes until tender (approx. 20 minutes) and mashing with 2 tablespoons milk.
• Prepare dough sponge and proof yeast by mixing yeast, 1/2 cup flour, and 1/2 cup water with 1/2 teaspoons honey dissolved in the water in a bowl and letting stand for 20 minutes until mixture is foamy. (Throw out and start over with fresher yeast if not foamy.).
• Mix 1/2 of remaining flour with herb mix, salt, remaining water with remaining honey dissolved in it, olive oil, dough sponge, and mashed potatoes. Mix in remaining flour (dough should only be slightly sticky). Knead 15 minutes on a floured surface (10 minutes in a machine) until smooth.
• Place dough in lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise until doubled (about 1 to 1 1/2 hours) in a warm place. *Punch dough down and divide in half. Put dough halves in greased 9-inch cake pans and spread over bottom. Cover with towel and let rise until doubled.
• Dimple the dough surface with fingers. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil** and sprinkle with coarse salt. Bake in preheated 400°F oven with pans directly on the pizza stone for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans and place on a wire rack.
• Cut in wedges and serve warm or at room temperature with dipping plates of extra-virgin olive oil (3 Tbsp) and balsamic vinegar (1 tsp).
• Focaccia Tips: Let dough rise until it falls (approx. double the time) and knead in extra flour. This technique improves the texture and flavor of the focaccia. Substitute other toppings such as a herbed garlic oil, sun-dried tomatoes, Greek olives and walnuts, etc. Add fresh herbs only after baking.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to the lowest setting possible.
• Combine 4 cups flour and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment; turn mixer on low speed. Crumble yeast into small pieces and add to the flour. Slowly pour in water. Scrape the sides to make sure all flour is incorporated and mix until dough begins to pull away from the sides and form a ball. Drizzle in oil and mix until fully incorporated.
• Knead on low speed for 5 or 6 minutes, adding 1 to 2 tablespoons extra flour if needed. Remove dough from the bowl and use your hands to form a ball. Return dough to the bowl and score the top with an "x." Cover with a damp cloth.
• Turn oven off and place dough in the oven to rise for at least 1 hour, or up to 8 hours.
• Remove dough from the oven and reattach the bowl to the stand mixer. Uncover and punch down dough. Knead on low speed for 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, place a pizza stone or tray on the bottom oven rack and preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
• Cut dough into 4 equal pieces and roll each one into ball. Dust with flour if needed. Place balls on a sheet pan and cover with a damp cloth. Roll out each ball into a 9-inch circle and top with desired toppings (no more than 1 cup sauce per pizza).
• Place pizza on the pizza stone in the preheated oven. Immediately lower the temperature to 410 degrees F (210 degrees C) and bake for 10 to 12 minutes; actual length of time will depend on your toppings. Repeat to make remaining pizzas.